Dispute could cause Warm Mineral Springs to close

Tuesday

Feb 12, 2013 at 1:20 PMFeb 12, 2013 at 7:26 PM

North Port's rejection of the county's purchase offer leave no clear way forward on the springs' future.

By ZAC ANDERSON

Warm Mineral Springs likely will close to the public for a while, and an outside mediator may be needed to resolve a city-county conflict over the property's management, Sarasota County leaders said Tuesday.

It was another day of angry recriminations in the saga over one of the region's most unusual attractions, the only warm spring in a state with the world's largest concentration of cool freshwater springs.

County leaders were responding to the North Port City Commission's vote Monday to reject the county's $2 million purchase offer for the city's half of the property, which the governments jointly acquired in 2010 for $5.5 million.

County Commissioner Christine Robinson said the lack of a counteroffer from the city leaves officials with no clear way forward. “I think that ultimately their inability to bring a solution to the table is virtually ensuring the closure of Warm Mineral Springs in June,” Robinson said.

An agreement with the private company that runs the spa, restaurant and bathing area at the attraction expires on June 30.

That contract cannot be extended and it will take at least 90 days to hire a replacement vendor, County Administrator Randall Reid said Tuesday.

That leaves roughly a month to resolve the dispute, but city and county leaders seem further apart than ever. “There's a high possibility it could shut down for some period of time,” Reid said.

The county is preparing for a drawn-out fight over the property.

Commissioners voted unanimously to have county staff prepare a list of options for proceeding and have it ready for the board in two weeks.

One of those options will be sending a letter to the city requesting a formal dispute resolution process with an outside mediator.

County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh said state law requires government agencies that are at odds to go through non-binding dispute resolution.

“It indicates there's a disagreement we want to try and resolve short of litigation,” DeMarsh said.

Commissioner Nora Patterson expressed hope that the city and county could agree on a short-term solution that would allow a new vendor to manage the property temporarily.

“I'm not willing to see the springs close while we arm-wrestle with North Port,” Patterson said. “So if this stays stalemated much longer I would suggest we do a short-term” contract.

But Robinson said it's not clear the city wants to do anything but sell the property.

Both parties need to agree on any management plan, including a short-term vendor contract.

“I'm not as confident as you are that there would be an agreement on a short-term” contract, Robinson told Patterson.

“I didn't say I was confidant,” Patterson responded.

New city leaders have expressed remorse about buying the springs. They have raised concerns about overdevelopment, and questioned whether the government should have taken over a private business.

“I'm not interested in getting my constituents in the business of business,” North Port Mayor Linda Yates said Monday.

The springs became public property after a former owner struggled to make the private business work and lost the attraction to foreclosure in 2009. A lender seized the property and sold it to the city and county.

North Port initially sought to buy the springs on its own to promote economic development, settling on a $6.3 million price before the county agreed to get involved.

County commissioners unanimously expressed frustration with their city counterparts Tuesday. Instead of making a counteroffer to the county, the City Commission voted to shop its half of the property around to state and federal agencies.